Vol. 11, Issue 1 (2022)

Author(s):
Sonu Sheoran, BS Beniwal and RPS Dalal

Abstract:
An investigation was conducted to study the floral and yield attributes of African marigold as influenced by pinching and gibberellic acid in different seasons at Experimental Orchard of the Department of Horticulture, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during 2015-16. It consisted of two seasons (winter and summer) with four levels each of pinching (no pinching, pinching at 2, 3 and 4 weeks after transplanting) and gibberellic acid (0, 150, 250 and 350 ppm). This field experiment was designed in a factorial randomized block design with thirty two treatments and three replications. Results revealed that the maximum values in terms of duration of flowering (56 days), fresh weight of flower (4.57 g) and flower yield per hectare (10.89 t) were recorded in winter, whereas, early appearance of the first flower (52.30 days) with longer flower stalk length (9.55 cm) and the maximum number of flowers per plant (43.25) were observed in summer. Plants pinched at 2 weeks after transplanting produced the maximum values in terms of flower stalk length (10.38 cm), the number of flowers per plant (44.91) and flower yield per hectare (10.33 t). However, the minimum days to first flower (55.82 days) with a longer duration of flowering (50.18 days), maximum flower diameter (5.62 cm) and maximum fresh weight of flower (4.06 g) were recorded in un-pinched plants. Foliar application of 250 ppm gibberellic acid significantly resulted in the maximum number of flowers per plant (46.29) and maximum flower yield per hectare (11.53 t), whereas, minimum days to first flower (55.77 days) and maximum duration of flowering (50.31 days), maximum flower diameter (5.71 cm) with longest flower stalk length (11.13 cm) and maximum fresh weight of flower (4.13 g) were recorded from plants sprayed with 350 ppm gibberellic acid. It may be concluded that foliar spray of 250 ppm gibberellic acid on plants pinched at two weeks after transplanting showed better results in terms of floral and yield attributes of African marigold.